Any deal involving these two rivals would make the deadline infinitely more interesting. The notion that they could trade their most talked about players (in terms of trade rumors) for one another is obviously too good to be true for those of us who spend our days daydreaming about what could be.

The fact that it came up, that a conversation was had concerning the potential of a deal, warms the heart of trade rumor conspiracy theorists worldwide, courtesy of our main man Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times:

The Lakers and Boston Celtics hate each other, an animosity that extends into the front offices of the two teams. …

Not really.

The teams talked last week about a trade for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, though nothing was close to accomplished and discussions dried up.

The Lakers are unwilling to trade Pau Gasol for Rondo, making a deal with Boston unlikely before the trade deadline Thursday.

“Unless they give up Gasol, they’re not going to get a top-level point guard,” said a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Oh well, on to the next one …

DWIGHT’S “TELLING EVERYONE HE’S LEAVING”

At least that’s what CBSSports.com‘s Ken Berger is reporting. The Bulls, a team both Dwight Howard and league MVP and Bulls leader Derrick Rose insists will not chase Howard, could very well be the best option for the Magic, if they are indeed going to move Howard this week:

The feeling among rival executives remains that the Magic seem intent on rolling the dice and keeping Howard for the rest of the season, hoping a long playoff run, emotional ties to Orlando and an extra year and $29 million they could offer would persuade him to stay beyond this season. But the move would be highly risky, given that Howard has refused to publicly commit to the Magic — a stance that sources view as a strong sign that he’d leave as a free agent if he isn’t traded.

“He’s telling everyone he’s leaving,” one league source said Sunday.

Magic executives are said to be unimpressed with the assets Howard’s three preferred teams could provide in a trade, prompting them to engage in a calculated campaign to expand the field of potential suitors beyond the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. But the team that can make the strongest case for Orlando to depart from its risky strategy of holding onto Howard are the Bulls, who could offer 7-footer Omer Asik, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu, sources said. The Bulls also could offer a valuable first-round pick from Charlotte — top-14 protected in this year’s draft but unprotected by 2016.

As crazy as this sounds, we’re not sure Howard and Turkoglu (and his brutal contract) are worth parting ways with two potential championship pieces like Deng and Asik. We could be wrong there, but you have to seriously think about that one before considering this deal. The Bulls have avoided the quick fix up until this point and find themselves at the top of the Eastern Conference along with Miami. Why mess with that now?

MAGIC WAITING TO DECIDE

Magic CEO Alex Martins insists that they have not made any decisions regarding Howard just yet. They don’t have to until the final hour.

So what happens if Howard tells the Magic that is what he wants to do? Are the Magic prepared to accept the risk of not trading Howard before the deadline?

“We’re not at the point where we’re ready to answer that question yet,” Martins told the Orlando Sentinel before the Magic hosted the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. “Sometime in the next four days we will be, but we’re not at the point where we’re ready to answer that question yet.”

In the meantime, Martins continues to speak with Howard in an effort to convince Howard to remain with the team.

On Friday, Martins met with Howard and at least two of Howard’s key advisers.

Martins would not disclose specific details, but Martins did say that he outlined the team’s marketing plan for the next year “as it relates to the team and how our plan is for Dwight an integral part of that.”

Time is running out on the Magic. We’ll know in a few days if all of this talk about keeping Howard in the fold has been posturing to get a sweeter deal or if they were serious from the get go.

BROOKS ON THE MAGIC WISH LIST?

Nets rookie MarShon Brooks, who has seen his role increase dramatically since the start of the season, is one of many next players who could be included in any potential deals for Howard.

Brooks, the rookie shooting guard whose average of 14 points per game is second-highest among first-year players, is one who certainly could be shipped to Orlando as part of a package to get Howard. As it happened, Brooks scored a career-high 24 points (on 10-of-15 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range) against Orlando the last time the two teams met, on Feb. 22, in the last game before the All-Star break. For now, Brooks said he isn’t thinking about that.

“Nah, I actually just bought a couch,” Brooks said when asked about the possibility of being traded. “I think I’ll be around, but who knows? Seriously, I’m not nervous.

“I’ve never been that guy,” he added. “I just go out and play and do my job. I haven’t been doing the best, so I don’t need any extra on my mind.”

It’s the right attitude to have. But Brooks is the sort of young talent the Magic would have to demand in a deal with the Nets.

CLIPS WANT TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE

There’s nothing better than a playoff team willing to consider all options at the trade deadline, which is exactly where the Clippers find themselves right now. But, they won’t do anything just for the sake of doing it, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com:

While the Clippers have inquired about the availability of several “available” shooting guards after the season-ending injury to Chauncey Billups, they are reluctant to pay too steep a price unless they can find a deal that moves them closer to contending for a title this year and in the future, general manager Neil Olshey told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

“We’re willing to do anything we can to move needle this year,” Olshey said. “But unless it’s piece for the future that also gives us to win a championship this year, we’re not going to give up our longterm flexibility and assets to do that.”

The price for the top shooting guards being mentioned in trade talks this spring — Boston’sRay Allen, Portland’s Jamal Crawford and Washington’s Nick Young — has so far been too high for the Clippers.

Most teams have asked for some combination of young point guard Eric Bledsoe, a future first-round pick and the expiring contracts of Randy Foye or Brian Cook.

That’s a steep price to pay for players the team could simply pursue as free agents this summer. Only Crawford could potentially be under contract next year, but he’d have to amend his contract and terminate his player option for 2012-13 similar to the way Williams did when he was acquired in a trade with Cleveland last February.

All those people who dismissed the importance of Billups when he went down probably have a better appreciation of his value today. Crawford would seem like a perfect fit, style-wise, but Allen would help replace some of the experience and championship swagger that they lost when Billups saw his season end.

SESSIONS WANTS TO STAY

Cavaliers point guard Ramon Sessions knows his name has been tossed around in rumors, most notably to the Los Angeles Lakers. But unlike others who have worn the uniform, he’d like to keep his talents in Cleveland, per Tom Reed of the Plain Dealer:

Sessions said he’s been unfazed by all the speculation. He’s already been traded once and is playing for his third franchise in five seasons.

“I have been hearing rumors since my first season in Milwaukee,” Sessions said. “It’s one of those things you get used to.”

Sessions holds a $4.55 million player’s option for next season, but said he will not make a decision on whether to exercise it until the off-season. If the Cavs do not move him at the deadline and Sessions opts out, they could lose him for nothing.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks are two teams rumored to have interest in Sessions. The Minnesota Timberwolves, fighting for a Western Conference playoff spot, might also be calling the Cavaliers after the season-ending knee injury to point guard Ricky Rubio.

Sessions was asked if he wants to remain a Cavalier after the deadline.

“Yeah, I like what we have going on,” he said. “I like working with the Young Fella [Kyrie Irving]. The guys in here respect me a lot. I definitely like what we have going on.”

Despite his warm feelings for Cleveland, Sessions might need to keep a bag packed. There are too many teams hunting point guards for the Cavaliers to close the door on moving him.

HINRICH, TOO!

Hawks veteran point guard Kirk Hinrich is in stay-put mode as well. His name has been mentioned as a possibility to the Lakers, on his own and in a package deal involving Josh Smith, whose trade request went public last week.

His name is circulating in trade rumors because of Atlanta’s glut of guards and his expiring contract but Hinrich hopes he’s still with the Hawks after Thursday’s deadline.

“I like our team,” Hinrich said before the Hawks played the Kings late Sunday. “I feel like we can be a dangerous team come playoff time. I want to be a part of that.”

Hinrich said it’s the fourth consecutive year he’s been part of trade speculation near the deadline but he’s only been traded twice. The Bulls sent him to Washington on the night of the 2010 draft and the Wizards traded him to Atlanta in February 2011.

… Hinrich’s contract expires after the season and Atlanta is deep at guard, two factors that have made him the subject of trade conjecture. He said he’s accustomed to it by now.

“You go out there and play the best you can and not worry about it,” he said. “If something is going to happen, it will happen and you deal with it from there. You can’t let it affect you. It’s just how this league is. It’s probably lot harder on my family more than anything.”

If the Hawks feel secure with some of their journeymen reserves at point guard, it will be tough to resist the temptation to fortify their frontcourt rotation with whatever prize they could get in return for Hinrich and his expiring deal.

Andrew Bogut, a fixture with the Milwaukee Bucks franchise since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2005 draft, could be a Bucks player no more.

The Bucks will listen to offers for the 7-foot center before the Thursday trade deadline and could move him if they get the right package in return.

The situation is complicated by Bogut’s fractured left ankle, making it somewhat unlikely he could help another team yet this season. Bogut was injured Jan. 25 in Houston when he went up to block a shot and landed on the foot of Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry.

And he is signed for two more years and $27 million, a lot of money for a team to risk on a player with Bogut’s injury history.

But he is a talented big man, a shot blocker and intelligent defender. Frankly, he’s the player the Bucks have built their team around since he was signed to a five-year, $60 million contract extension in the summer of 2008.

The problem from the Bucks perspective is Bogut has been injured for much of the time since signing the deal.

Bogut’s injury issues could derail any potential deals that are out there, but if you had a chance to get a player of his caliber (when healthy) in a deadline deal, you have to at least explore the possibilities.

142 Comments

I fault New York Mets GM Frank Cashen (yes I know that’s baseball) for saying that “A team that stands pat cannot win.”
WELL, NEITHER(IN ANY SPORT) IS MESSING WITH THE CHEMISTRY OF ANY TEAM TO THE POINT OF ABSURDITY! I
believe Cashen was against the practice of hanging onto aging players until the rot sets in; or players who were problem
players for the team. JUST LOOK AT METTA WORLD WAR’S TRACK RECORD!

I think that the Clippers should go after Ray Allen. The Clippers could trade Mo Williams, their 2013 1st Round Pick and Brian Cook for Allen. The Clippers would still have a solid young point guard in Eric Bledsoe and would gain a proven scorer, and would bring championship experience to the Clippers. The Celtics would gain a scoring point guard with range and can play the shooting guard position as well.

i am very torn on this trade because i have genuinely appreciated the impact that both players have made on their respective teams and i think its important to remember what they have done for their franchises..they both were pivotal to impressive champipnship runs in the past decade..however, the nba is a business and this trade would have benefited both teams..i spoke about rondo and the top pgs in the league earlier this week http://mindofmattman.blogspot.com/2012/03/best-pg-in-nba-2012-year-of-pg-cont.html

I think that Otis Smith have to go to his home. And never come back again to the Orlando Magic. He makes the things wrong. I will give 1 year contract to Howard and I look for another men in the place of Otis Smith.

I’m a celtic fan and do not want rondo to be traded because if he is then the big 3 will be nothing and they wont enter the playoffs for years or more unless next season get howard and rondo with pierce then another big 3 after kg and allen finish defnite win championships

Well how about an all new lakers evolution. Of course staying put will be Kobe. Options available will be filling all other postions with a trade of gasol with one other to rockets for scola, martin and dragic, next will be upgrade for bynum for howard which is an upgrade in terms of experience. Then mike brown can by all means throw in his new offence style with no guys complaining about triangular being a better offence since it be easier to coach a whole new crew new tactic then old crew who are already familiarize with the old.

If i am Boston i just wait till summer. Howard will probably be a free agent. The ideal would be to sign Allen and KG with the veteran minimum and then sign Howard. Allen and KG already have enough money and they would sign with the minimum to be with Howard and have another serious go for the championship. That is the ideal ofcourse but still wait till summer and you take it from there..

A good trade is a trade that helps both teams. Pau Gasol for Carmello Anthony. Helps both teams. Pau, Chandler and Amare make up a monster front line. With Lin and Lowry the Knicks would win the East. The Lakers would have Bynum,Anthony, Artest, Kobe and Fisher. Take it one step further and trade Fisher for Baron Davis. Fish would help Pau adjust while getting rid of the negativity that is animosity toward Lin from Baron “backing’ up Lin. And solid Fisher clutch play, clutch experience is exactly what the Knicks need. Plus Baron in the lineup with Kobe, Bynum, Carmello- Lakers/Knocks final this year.
A good trade is one that both teams benefit.

I got excited when the Lakers got McRoberts and they underuse him. I got excited when they got Kapono and they underuse him. The lakers are notoriously bad at expecting too little from talented bench players. If they get Arenas, or Nick Young, or WHOEVER, and they don’t make them a starter or give them significant minutes, they will rot on the bench.

Although I am a Laker fan and would appreciate having a point guard like Rondo, the Celtics are not going to trade Rondo for Pau. It makes no sense, especially when they are looking to rebuild and KG has an expiring contract next season. Pau is in his 30’s and he’s on the decline. Celts best bet is to trade either KG or Allen this year and try to get a young player or picks. Pierce still has another 2 years left, but depending on the status of Jeff Green, he would become more expendable before the trade deadline next season. As for the Lakers, they are in dire need of a young athletic point guard. Here’s one that no one has really talked about….Darrin Collison in Indiana. I remember seeing an interview with him last season before the Lakers played the Pacers. He hinted that he didn’t like the cold winters, and missed the warm weather in L.A. He grew up in California, and played for UCLA. Not saying that Indiana with their improved standing in the East would give him up for peanuts, but it might be something the Lakers should take a strong look at.

its a joke if you think that la wld get rid of gazol for rondo? really ? the lakers strength is the 2 centers? do u think theyl get bak to havin mediocre centres like the kwame brown era? i think a trade with dwight is the only way tht la wld giv up pau imagine bynum abd dwight as 2 center in la hw dominant wil they be and having the 2nd best player in nba history in kobe bryant . rondo is a gd guard and we need a pg to back up our veteran fisher but the lakers wil nt give up their competitve advantage for just rajon rondo …. kobe fan for life peace ….. !

sorry bro but numbers do not lie , they are evidence YOU CAN NOT be the second best player in nba history by shooting 45% in your career and 25.4 ppg, those are great numbers but not for the second BEST player in the nba history.

Do you think that the C’s will keep Gasol after they swap Rondo? Ainge will move him to Houston who is working really hard to get him. They’ll get Scola, Martin and Dragic. Then they can send RayRay to another team for first round picks or young talents.

I’m pretty sure we all know that D-will is either staying w/ the Nets if Howard comes to him, if not he’s going to the Mavs, and this Rondo thing is mostly hype. Why not just wait for a decent-ish guard for next year, maybe an Aaron Brooks? Then, this year jump the gun on Kirk and Josh.

The Lakers don’t need an all star player. What they need is a good 6th man or someone to fill in the holes of their bench. They don’t need to give up Gasol over that. Kupchak made a terrible mistake dealing out Odom.

Do you think that the C’s will keep Gasol after they swap Rondo? Ainge will move him to Houston who is working really hard to get him. They’ll get Scola, Martin and Dragic. Then they can send RayRay to another team for first round picks or your talents.

Lakers should not trade Gasol instead they should get another scorer who can help Kobe at the guard position. Arenas can be a good choice. Gasol is so good, he was just distracted by these trade rumors. They should get Odom back!

Im a Celtics Fan, if danny ainge trades rondo for pau i will no longer be a celtics fan, they need to keep the guys they have, if u lose on piece of the puzzle, u lose the entire team, we’ve already lost perkins and davis, now rondo and maybe ray, wtf are you thinking danny!!? Leave the team alone! let them retire a celtic then make a move, ig if this goes through, i will become a austin rivers fan and follow him whereever he goes! dont make the mistake gettin pau and gettin rid of rondo, BEAT LA REMEMBER!!?

Trading Rondo for Gasol does not make any sense. Does Celtics want to be the next Clippers team from before? Too many forwards and none to dribble the ball. Besides no one trades an aging for the young, I think that is the thumb rule for basketball (exception of Divac for Kobe). Rondo is a talent that rarely comes in a decade. If the Celts would trade Rondo, the Celts also adds a chip on the table, and that chip is the fans.

As for Boston. NO trades will be made this deadline. It’s all about the off season. I don’t care where Dwight says he wants to go, he wants to go to a contender. Rhondo with Dwight, and Pierce is a contender with Gasol.

If the Celtics are seriously considering giving up Rondo for Gasol it would be one of the worst trade decisions I’ve ever seen. Rondo is a player to build for the future not give away for another over 30 player. This trade would be far worst than the Perkins move.

Celtics fans should contact the front office and let their feelings known about this.

The Lakers is a Championship caliber team and they don’t need Rondo in the line-up. When the playoffs starts it’s gonna be a different story and ofcourse as always Kobe will always be Kobe. I just think HOWARD-GASOL SWAP would be a reasonable trade. I hope the superman will get his shot at teaming up with his idol Kobe. I hope the team will stay intact and the only major problem for them in the playoffs I think it’s the Oklahoma City Thunders. But right now they can beat any team in the NBA if they will stay intact.

kobe will always be koke, the biggest choke in nba history, game 7 against celtics 6 out of 24 , and still they won, lakers are good because of the big 2 who bail out kobe all the time, but kobe usually takes the credit, when he gets 9 out of 31 is gasol fault, kobe is the luckiest great player in nba history , grew up slowly winning championships with shaq as the core, shaqs leaves the lakers , kobe chokes , but the lakers win again, his numbers are great but nothing extraordinary, he is not an albert pujols or an usain bolt, but I have to admit no great player in the NBA HAS HIS LUCK.

Not a good trade for Boston if they want a good trade it will be
Garnett and Rondo for Bynum and Gasol i think that will be fair. Rondo is too high a player to be traded 1on1, Gasol is aged and Bynum as strong and talented he is he can be a liability because he is injury prone.

For the Clippers all they need is a Good SG and they will be in top shape. dont trade any of their bigs they need to trade their rookie PG bledsoe and either foye or gomez for someone like ray allen (if they trade rondo they definitely need a pg) or jamal crawford ( they also need a fresh PG) or N.Young atleast (admit it this guy is talented if properly coached)

For Dwight The only teams that has enough players for him is Chicago and New Jersey
Chicago can trade Boozer and Noah for Dwight. (why would orlando give up a top player for an injury prone boozer and deng and a bench player). Chicago’s only qualifier is Noah. It would nice to have this line up for the bulls
C=Howard PF=Gibson SF=Deng SG=Hamilton PG=D.Rose and it would be fair also for Orlando if they have
C=Noah PF=Boozer SF=Turkoglu SG=Richardson PG= Nelson and they have a deep bench on Ryan Anderson and G.Davis

For the Nets their only qualifier there is Brook Lopez and Marshon Brooks for D. Howard

Jordan then plays power forward, lob city continues with Howard and Jordan and then their defense will be the best in the league with the shot blocking abilities of Dwight and DeAndre. This team will then be deep and power of scoring. The magic can then rebuild around Blake and make them a contender in a few years time. Both teams get what they need. Jordan is not a centre, he’s power forward with the talents of Rodman or Horace Grant, but maybe better.

I don’t know why people think the lakers need howard, have any of you watched bynum play? He is already an amazing center and he’s only 24. Trying to get howard to basically replace bynum (don’t be stupid, why the hell would you play them together?!) would cost us too much, and our roster is already too shallow without odom. Bynum is going nowhere, and that is 100% correct.

Getting Rondo would be awesome. I hate the celtics as much as any lakers fan, but that kid can play. The first NBA jersey I ever bought was a fisher jersey, but you can’t dispute the fact that he’s not aging as slowly as kobe. He still defends like a master, but we’re just not getting the production out of him that we used to. Putting him on the bench to rotate Rondo out would be so amazing. But the comments that a straight trade for gasol should never happen. I’d love it to, but that trade is just a dream. In my opinion he’s the best player on that squad at the moment. Maybe he has an attitude because he’s used to his team actually winning?

Having said all this, I just wish the lakers would give more minutes to goudelock. He’s good, just needs more of a shot. Maybe he could develop into the PG that the lakers need…

Yeah well that’s not what you guys where saying in Nov and Dec. It was all about getting CP3 and Howard to LAL. Now that Bynum is staying healthy and putting up numbers you act like you never wanted Howard. Just stop lying to yourself because if Howard comes to LA in free agency he will be the talk of the town and you’ll forget that Bynum is even there.

NOT….IMHO Bynum is actually BETTER than Howard (Gasol or not)…Bynum’s game offensively is developing nicely (Thanks to Abdul Jabaar) and he is no slouch defensively….and OH YEAH…he is a TEAM PLAYER. You can have Howard…WE DON’T want him. We will add 1 or 2 smaller role players to make a slight run at it this year, but the money play for us is Derron Williams in the off-season. At that point, with Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, and Williams, we should have our choice of any bargain veterans that want to come win a chamionship. AND for all you Kobe haters…All of you naysayers were saying he was DONE before the season started, and now look. He is playing as well as ANYONE in the league and there is NOBODY I would rather have on my team…HE JUST WINS!

you guys need to think before you comment.
Dwight Howard doesn’t have a choice where he goes. As it stands, if the Orlando Magic got a good offer from the Kings (god forbid) he would be playing in a Kings uniform. Quite frankly, you sound like you don’t know anything about basketball when you say “he’d be stupid if he went to the Lakers, or anywhere but Chicago or Miami.” He doesn’t have a choice until next year when he can be a free agent if he chooses. Same for Rondo.
I’ll bet Rondo stays put. I’ll bet that come next week Dwight is in a New Jersey Nets uniform…but not because he ultimately chose New Jersey.

maybe its you who needs to think before you comment.
aside from the teams with a genuine chance of winning a championship with him (and there less than a hand full) any team outside of howard’s preference would be stupid to go for him, as his contract expires end of the season and they risk him walking. the people on here are debating his preference nominations, not his absolute choice.

I Think the rhondo for Gasol trade would work, Gasol and Garnett can work together in the paint. but Boston rili needs a Bigger inside presence like dwight or bynum. So ill go for bynum for rhondo. and maybe rhodo and ray allen for dwight, i can move avery to point defender while pierce facilitates the offence as point forward. benefits both ways.

Despite all the trade chatter (and I live LA so I get a good portion of it), I dont think there will be a lot of activity. Howard will stay. He’s WAY better than Carmelo, and the Carmelo trade cost the Knicks half their team. If the Magic accept Boozer/Deng/Asik for Howard, theyre stupid. Howard is a superstar, and that proposed trade from Chicaog doesnt even include a regular star. Deng and Boozer are good, but Boozer has trouble guarding little leaguers, and Deng is a consistent player, but not a huge threat. So I am not expecting a lot, even though I desperately want my Lakers to get SOMEONE. I dont care who it is, but the current team will NOT win.

The Laker’s definitely need a point guard. And Rondo going to the Laker’s sounds awesome. But it’s stupid on the Celtic’s part. Why would you trade your most consistent player? And what would Gasol do for the Celtics? Not much I don’t think. But if the Laker’s can get Rondo, and then sign Rasheed Wallace for the Power Forward spot, I think the Laker’s have a spot in the finals.

Why the hell would the celtics trade a young 26 years old rondo for an almost 32 years old Pau Gasol, Notice the point of a trade is to make both teams better not to make one older and one better. The best thing the Lakers can do is to keep their core players and try to sign Gilbert Arenas or try to trade one of their role players for a decent point guard like Ramon Sessions even though he doesn’t want to be traded or someone like jarret jack he puts up decent numbers and wont take too much to get him.

Lakers should wait for deron williams, find a temporary point like felton. The lakers dont need Dwight when Gasol and bynum produce better offense and equal defensively to dwight. The bulls should trade everyone but rose,noah and deng for Howard. noah and howard will dominate the board. The Celtics if they wanna rebuild should look into josh smith,howard and combine him with rondo, and try keeping either pierce or allen, Clippers need to do nothing and wait for next year to see if they can find a young sg. They also need to play Deandre more hes there chandler

I think the Dwight Howard and Gasol trade should be reconsidered. Just imagine, Dwight and Bynum? That would bring back a presence in the middle, and a championship. It would also allow Kobe to miss shots, no disrespect, he’s a great. That’s the next step the Laker’s need. We don’t need Rhondo, even though, he would be a excellent fit, Kobe and Rhondo, the defense would be amazing, but David Stern might not let it happen lol. The Lakers should really consider on picking up Dwight Howard, then go after a point guard, like an Eric Bledsoe, and pick up Gilbert Arenas, to rest Kobe, he’s 33 now!

Now that’s the truth, and i’m only “17”. Oh Yea, follow me on twitter @CrosbyStayReal

Come on guys, do you believe that C’s will give away Rondo and will take Gasol for him, this just very optimistic brain-storming of Lakers management. Ainge cannot do that mistake, he is more intelligent then you think. NO WAY FOR THESE SWAP. We are sorry Lakers, please go to South Beach 😉

LA only needs younger PG who can defend and create plays, no need for scorer, Derek Fisher is still very good PG but he is not fast like he was before. Most of PG right now is too quick for him and when LA loss a game in means they loss in energy. What LA really needs a young PG with lot of energy.

“The Standard is Miami”?…!!!!! I don’t think so, it is early to say that but whoever gets the ring this year that will be the standard for next season. The Black Mamba is still playing..

“The Lakers are unwilling to trade Pau Gasol for Rondo,” – this is just hype BS, Lakers just want to increase the perceived value of Gasol so they can trade him for top caliber player like Dwight. With the way Rondo and Gasol are playing, I think every reasonable-thinking NBA GM and/or coach would trade Gasol for Rondo.

lakers should trade pau gasol for josh smith and the nsign either or both aaron brooks and gilbert areanas there pg problem solved and noe u hve a scorer who can give u 17+ppg 10 rpg as well as create his own shot – LA will b contenders again or find a way to get rid of barnes and ron artest cuz although tier good defenders they rarely show up on the offensive eveen though ron the past 3 games or show has been useful offensively

Worst trade in the world for LAC would be to get N. Young (for anyone). And J. Crawford is not much better. What the Clippers do not need is a poor percentage shooter who chucks up way too many shots. Ray Ray is the perfect fit as he would bring not only a consistent shooter, but some valuable playoff experience for the next couple of years.

If the C’s are looking to break up the big three and get a scorer and big man then they could consider pierce and allen to the rockets for martin and scola (and maybe a not great bench player)….scola would give them a starting pf and martin could take over allens spot as a scorer

I agree. Rondo would not work in LA. Kobe hogs the ball way too much in offense just as how Rondo does with the C’s. You can’t bring them together. And who would run the Celtics offense? It would be a lose-lose both sides.

Rondo will not play the same for the Lakers if he was traded and it’s messed up for the Celtics to even put his name in talks like that. It’s a perfect example of why some players don’t take their game to the next level and just play the game like a job, rather than a sport.

Looking at the Clipper trade info you just listed and the comment the package is too steep? Seriously? Cook doesnt play at all and probably wont be in the leage next year, Foye is an over achiever and wont be resigned after this season, thus trading the young and quick Bledsoe who is very raw talented player who you need to hide his 10-15 minutes a game for a playoff experienced player in J. Crawford or Ray Allen. Not pulling the trigger is too steep!

Trade Gasol & Andrew who the heck is your 4? The artiest formally known as Ron-Ron? Pipe dream – wont ever happen and shouldn’t ever happen. OKC can be beaten. The hotter team at the time will win the series. Remember the game slows way down in the post season and Kobe is still the man. Dallas was crazy hot last year and this Laker team can win. Imagine if Lamar was still on the Lakers putting up his current production. This conversation would be to trade Lamar. Keep counting the Lakers out and keep motivating Kobe & Co. Dont be surprised if Kobe is sizing his 6th ring this summer!

RONDO FOR GASOL?!?!??! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Rondo, is doing almost everything for the C’s , instead of trading him, Danny Ainge should get someone to build around him, such as Josh Smith or Dwight Howard. And if they traded for Josh Smith, Rondo and Smith are good friends, they would work well together. Imagine Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Josh Smith/Dwight Howard. If the Celtics were smart, they wouldn’t have traded Perkins last year, and the Celtics wouldn’t be too small. However, if the Celtics could get Dwight or Smith, I could see them getting 2-3 more championships, which would make Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett want to stay with the C’s. Come on, Danny Ainge make the right move.

Your crazy to think that Boston could get either of them without giving up allen or Garnett but most likely both… PPL are so dumb when it come to trades in the nba this isnt a video game where things like that can happen.

If Celtics really want Gasol for Rondo I see a deal.
I don’t know what Celtics would do without him though…
Lakers need a good guard, and this is a young one. Maybe with two or three players from the bench they could get a “decent” forward, till the end of the season. And then try to get a better one for next season.

As a fan of Gasol i would like to see him in L.A, but don’t like this endless (till 15th;p) situation. Don’t enjoy witnessing Gasol wanted to be traded.

If Boston do this trade just like honestly Gasol is so bad this year and last year its not even funny and we have Garnett how in gods name could gasol help us when we have 1 of the best point gaurds in the nba for 1 bad PF.

That’s a lie to think the Lakers have to give up Gasol to get someone good. The Lakers don’t have to give up anybody. People will do anything to play for the Lakers that’s why they have it so easy when it comes to personel. If they are a free agent and a spot is open on the Lakers it’s a done deal. I could see Ray Allen playing for beither the LA teams.

This will be the day when I will stop watching the celtics games or stop being a fan becuase our problem is not with a point guard,. why would you give up the most consistent player on the court. If they trade Rondo, Rondo will help Lakers get another ring. I think we should sit tight since KG/Ray Allen contract is up next season and try to make a run for Dwight Howard. Trading Rondo for Pau Gasol will not help us get into the play-off or championship. You can bring Pau but Avery Bradley will not make the players around him better, he only looks for his shot. he doesn’t distribute the ball well, or set great plays. You can’t built the team around no Bradley but you can with Rondo. You think the perk trade was bad, you trade RONDO, that would be the worst trade EVER.

True wisdom, Pau is in his 30’s, why would you add a old player to an ancient team, and then get rid of your best young player? Rondo may be “moody”, but what do you care about more Boston, an ring or a tame PG?

Worst trade in the world for LAC would be to get N. Young (for anyone). And J. Crawford is not much better. What the Clippers do not need is a poor percentage shooter who chucks up way too many shots. Ray Ray is the perfect fit as he would bring not only a consistent shooter, but some valuable playoff experience for the next couple of years.

I am a celtics fan. If they trade rondo for pau, not only will they not get a championship, they will not go to the play offs. they will lose ray, kg, rondo, and perkins. and for what? PAU GASOL? Worst trade in HISTORY! so they lose 3 allstars for a regular 1 or 2 time allstar. pau is also in his 30’s so it wouldn’t help at all.